1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bearings and other similar devices for passively facilitating and actively aiding or enhancing rotational or other movement. More particularly, the present invention concerns a bearing-like device using magnetic force to both passively facilitate and actively aid or enhance a turning, spinning, or other movement of an attached shaft or other member, wherein the device comprises a conical male component spirally wrapped in magnetic material outwardly presenting a magnetic pole of a particular orientation and received within a correspondingly shaped female component including magnetic material outwardly presenting a magnetic pole of the same particular orientation, such that the male component is both magnetically repelled apart from the female component and magnetically induced to turn or spin relative to the female component.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is often desirable to facilitate turning or spinning or other similar movement in a shaft or other similar member. Typically, such movement is passively facilitated by reducing friction forces that oppose the movement. A simple well-known solution, for example, is to use a lubricant, such as oil or grease, to reduce friction forces arising from direct contact. Unfortunately, lubricants can break down or otherwise degrade, and can leak, and, furthermore, can become contaminated with particulate matter which decreases the lubricant""s efficacy, thus requiring periodic replenishment or drainage and replacement.
Another more sophisticated solution is to use a bearing made of low friction material or a roller bearing, comprising a plurality of rollable cylinders or spheres, possibly in combination with a lubricant. Though such bearings are less prone than lubricants to degradation, they do wear over time and may seize under certain circumstances, necessitating replacement. Unfortunately, conventional bearings also require physical contact that gives rise to contact friction forces.
A newer but also well-known solution is to use a passive bearing based on principles of magnetic repulsion to suspend or xe2x80x9clevitatexe2x80x9d the shaft such that no physical contact is required, thereby eliminating contact friction forces. In these magnetic bearings, either the shaft itself or one or more magnets coupled with the shaft outwardly presents a magnetic pole of a particular orientation, whether north or south. The bearing also presents a magnetic pole having the same orientation such that the poles magnetically repel each other and the shaft is effectively repelled from the bearing. In a first configuration, for example, the magnetic bearing is substantially circular in shape and is positioned so as to surround the shaft, thereby forcing the shaft into a centered, annular, non-contact relationship with the bearing. This first configuration works well when the shaft is to assume a substantially horizontal orientation. In a second configuration, an end of the shaft is inserted into or otherwise received within the bearing, thereby forcing the shaft to levitate above the bearing, again, in a non-contact relationship. This second configuration works well when the shaft is to assume a substantially vertical orientation.
It will be appreciated, however, that the aforementioned mechanisms for facilitating turning or spinning are all merely passive in nature in that they do no more than reduce or eliminate some of the friction forces, particularly contact friction forces, that oppose the desired shaft motion. It will be appreciated, unfortunately, that these mechanisms are unable to actively aid the movement of the shaft. Actively aiding or enhancing movement of the shaft can be advantageous in many applications, such as, for example, power transfer, where such active aid can dramatically increase overall efficiency by overcoming or compensating for other forces, such as, for example, air resistance, resisting the shaft""s movement.
Due to the above-described and other problems and disadvantages in the prior art, a need exists for an improved bearing.
The present invention provides a distinct advance in the art of bearings and other similar devices for passively facilitating and actively aiding or enhancing rotational or other movement. More particularly, the present invention provides a bearing-like device using magnetic force to both passively facilitate and actively aid or enhance a turning, spinning, or other movement of an attached shaft or other member.
In a preferred embodiment, the device broadly comprises a male component and a female component. The male component is operable to turn or spin due to magnetic interaction with the substantially stationary female component. The male component includes a male body and a first magnetic component. The male body is operable to support the first magnetic component in its proper position and orientation. The male body is shaped substantially similar to a truncated cone having an approximately 33.33xc2x0 taper, and is constructed from a non-magnetic material, such as, for example, wood, plastic, or aluminum, or any other suitable material. Furthermore, as desired or required, the male body may be substantially solid or may provide only a shell or skeletal framework for supporting the first magnetic component.
The first magnetic component may be constructed of any suitable substantially permanently magnetic material, such as, for example, magnetized neodymium boron carbon #30, presenting a north pole and a south pole. The first magnetic component wraps spirally, at an approximately 6xc2x0 angle and with a counterclockwise or left-hand twist, approximately 180xc2x0 about the conically-shaped male body so as to outwardly present a first magnetic pole of a particular orientation, whether north or south.
The female component is operable to remain stationary and, through magnetic interaction, cause the male component to turn or spin. The female component includes a female body and a second magnetic component. The female body is operable to support the second magnetic component in its proper position and orientation. The female body presents a conical recess, having a 22.50xc2x0 taper, which substantially corresponds to and is operable to receive the male component, and is constructed from a non-magnetic material, such as, for example, wood, plastic, or aluminum, or any other suitable material.
The second magnetic component may be constructed of any suitable substantially permanently magnetic material, such as, for example, magnetized neodymium boron carbon #30, presenting a north pole and a south pole. The second magnetic component includes three distinct portions or rows, including a lower row; a central row; and an upper row. The lower row circumferentially surrounds a portion of the recess and, being attached to a surface thereof, is inclined at a substantially identical 22.50xc2x0. The central row resides on a protruding flange or lip which is attached to and circumferentially surrounds a portion of the recess at a point between the lower and upper rows near a top of the recess, and is inclined at 67.50xc2x0. The top row circumferentially surrounds the top of the recess and lies substantially flat, giving it an inclination of 90.00xc2x0. Each of the three rows of the second magnetic component present toward the interior of the recess a second magnetic pole of the same orientation, north or south, as the first magnetic pole of the first magnetic component.
In use and operation, the bearing-like device of the present invention may be used, for example, to passively facilitate and actively aid or enhance the clockwise turning motion of the aforementioned shaft or other member which couples a turbine with an electricity generator so as to transfer power therebetween. The male component is partially inserted into the female recess of the female component so that the first pole of the first magnetic component is exposed to the second pole of the second magnetic component so as to repel one another. Due in part to the 6xc2x0 counterclockwise spiral of the first magnetic component, the magnetic forces between the first and second magnetic components cause the male component to turn clockwise, thereby actively aiding the turning movement of the shaft.
Thus, it will be appreciated that the bearing-like device of the present invention provides substantial advantages over prior art bearings and similar devices. In particular, the present invention is operable both to passively facilitate and actively aid or enhance the turning motion of the attached shaft or other member. Passive facilitation results from magnetic repulsion along an axis of the motion, which physically separates the male component from the female component and substantially reduces or eliminates friction forces due to physical contact. Active facilitation results from torque about the axis of motion due to the shape, configuration, positioning, and magnetic interaction of the male component and the female component. Thus, while prior art bearings and similar devices are limited to passive facilitation, generally involving merely reducing or eliminating friction forces, the present invention also functions to actively aid and enhance the turning or spinning movement.
These and other important aspects of the present invention are more fully described in the section entitled DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT, below.